SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. –
The mobile processor market
is targeted to reach almost 2 billion units by 2016,
according to NPD In-Stat.
The research firm stated that mobile processors
grew at a 43 percent rate in 2011 and will continue to
grow at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22
percent for the next four years. This will result in 1.9
billion mobile processors shipping in 2016.
NPD In-Stat defines a mobile processor as powering
e-readers, handheld game consoles (HGCs),
mobile PCs, portable media players (PMPs), smartphones
and tablets.
ARM-based processors dominate the mobile market,
with 73 percent of all units shipped into the category
using this architecture.
Intel continues to control the mobile PC segment.
NPD In Stat believes smartphones and tablets represent
the area of the most potential growth. Combined,
these grew 75 percent in 2011, with 29.3 percent
CAGR expected through 2016.
The upcoming release of Microsoft’s Windows 8
operating system later this year will prove pivotal in
the battle between Intel’s x86 processors and those
using ARM architecture, NPD In Stat said. Windows
8 will be able to run on either processor platform and
is the first Windows OS designed specifically with
tablets in mind.
